Ultimate Power Rangers: Demon World Earth
by Ryuranger
Summary: The Astro Rangers become stranded on Demon World Earth, a parallel world where Tommy became the Evil Green Ranger willingly and destroyed all of civilization. (Takes place after Year Five of my Ultimate Power Rangers series).


_**Author's note: **The following one-shot takes place immediately after Year Five of my Ultimate Power Rangers series, __a massive AU/Reboot of Power Rangers that incorporates Sentai, Kamen Rider, Metal Heroes and anime. Year Five, Ultimate Power Rangers in Space, features Tommy, Kat, Ashley, Zhane, and original characters Justin Kase, Chris Harris, and Cy (although Cy is clearly based on Andros). _

* * *

**Demon World Earth**

The Astro Megaship hung in orbit above a planet Earth. An Earth that was not their own.

"Report," Tommy said.

Chris looked over the sensors. "It's Earth. It's just…" He shook his head with disbelief. "I'm picking up high traces of radiation. North and South America are in ruins. Africa is a nuclear wasteland. A thick smog is covering the globe."

"What the hell happened?" Tommy asked.

Chris shook his head. "I don't know." He checked his sensors again. "Europe looks pretty much untouched. I'm picking up the most life signs there."

Tommy narrowed his eyes. "Check surrounding star formations. Have we gone…through time or anything like that?"

Chris shook his head. "Not according to what I'm reading."

Justin finished a tactical sensor sweep of the area. "I'm not picking up any ships or ET tech on the surface. I say we go down and take a look."

Tommy nodded. "Polarize the hull plating. Prepare for atmospheric entry."

"Tommy…" Ashley said. "Hull plating is off line."

Tommy sighed. They had not made full repairs to the Megaship before leaving KO-35. The ship was still badly damaged. "DECA, reinforce structural integrity. Chris, find us a place to set down around Angel Grove. And swing by the Command Chamber site on the way."

The Megaship shot through Earth's atmosphere. The hull superheated on the way down, making the ship appear like a brilliant comet blazing through the sky. The rangers' vessel descended towards North America's west coast.

Justin's monitor started to blink. "I'm picking up an energy discharge from the surface."

"Source?" Tommy asked.

But there was no time for response. A jagged bolt of crimson energy shot from the surface and splashed across the hull, sending explosions ripping through the ship's armor.

The rangers were thrown across the bridge as the Megaship started spinning out of control.

* * *

Hours passed. Tommy's vision slowly blurred into focus. He was lying on concrete rubble and staring up at the blood-red sky and black clouds. A dim crimson glow illuminated the war-torn landscape.

A young woman stepped by him and looked over him. She was scarcely dressed with white armor and a cape that matched the white color of her hair.

"He's awake," she said.

"Who are you?" Tommy asked as he forced himself to sit up, despite the pain.

She slammed her foot against Tommy's chest and pinned him to the ground. "Sherinda. And I will ask the questions."

A young man stood next to Sherinda and wrapped his arm around her slender waist. He was dressed in an intricately woven green tunic and slacks. A black-leather vest covered his chest. Straps of the same black material were wrapped around his forearm, ankles, and thighs.

Daggers were attached to the straps. Tommy recognized the person's face. It was Hayate, the Green Galaxy Ranger, only he had a long scar running from his brow down towards his chin.

Tommy wrinkled his brow with confusion. "Hayate?"

Hayate narrowed his eyes. "How do you know my name?"

Tommy grabbed Sherinda's ankle and kicked out her other leg. She crashed onto her tailbone.

Tommy sprang to his feet.

Hayate thrust his hand forward and fired a cyclone from his palm. The wind blast slammed against Tommy and sent him crashing backward against the remains of a brick wall.

Sherinda cursed beneath her breath as she rose back to her feet. "That was very, very stupid. I should gut you and string your entrails across our ship's bow."

"As fun as that sounds, why don't you tell me where the hell I am, and what the hell is going on?" Tommy said.

"Balban!" a voice shouted from behind.

Tommy turned and looked up to see a group standing along the rugged remains of a wall. He opened his eyes wide with shock. Trini, Jonathan, and Richie stood in ninja uniforms, each different from the ones Tommy was used to seeing.

Jonathan wore a sleeveless, dirt-gold shirt with a black slash wrapped around it. He wore a black belt and black slacks. A Katana blade was attached to his back. Gray material with thin black criss-crossed lines wrapped around his arms. He wore black straps around his forearm and fists.

Richie and Trini wore similar outfits, only Trini's was mostly white and Richie's was mostly dark blue.

A group of Dorodoro stood alongside the rangers. The Youkai soldiers were concealed in black ninja uniforms, masks across the lower parts of their faces, and dark hoods. They carried thin Katana swords.

Trini unsheathed her blade and aimed the saber down at the Balban. "Kill all three of them."

Richie and Jonathan leapt forward along with the Youkai soldiers.

Tommy narrowed his eyes. "Trini, what's going on?"

Trini glared at Tommy. No one had called her that name in a long time. She sprang through the air to attack the stranger.

"Seijuukin!" Hayate shouted as he unsheathed his saber, holding the weapon upside down. The coin in the blade's hilt gathered streams of green energy. The blade of the sword pulsed with jade-colored light.

Hayate swung the sword through a strong diagonal arc. The resulting energy wave tore through a group of Dorodoro, ripping the soldiers' bodies apart.

Richie arced downward through the air and swung his Katana towards Hayate's head.

Hayate sidestepped and parried the blow. He slapped aside Richie's Katana and swung his Seijuukin towards the ninja's head. Richie leaned back and let the saber pass over him.

Nearby, Sherinda armed her saber and swung a flurry of blows at Jonathan. Jonathan blocked her blow. Their sabers pressed hard against each other, sparking as both opponents tried to gain the upper hand.

Sherinda glared. "Tell Zedd this is our world!"

Tommy narrowed his brow when he heard Sherinda.

Trini swung her blade down towards Tommy's head.

"Ryuuseikin!" Tommy shouted as he summoned his blade with a flash of golden, fiery energy. Tommy sidestepped and slapped Trini's Katana aside.

"Zedd? What does Zedd have to do with this?" Tommy asked her.

Trini spun back towards the ranger while swinging her blade towards his throat. "Shut up and fight."

Tommy parried the blow. Trini twisted her arm and swung the blade back towards him. Tommy parried and sidestepped again. "Tell me."

Trini snapped a hook kick that slammed across Tommy's face. She jumped up as a cloud of diamonds shimmered in front of her. "Ninpo Shard attack!"

The shards energized and shot towards Tommy like a diamond storm.

Tommy extended his hand, using his Ki to shatter the shards before they could connect.

Trini opened her eyes wide with shock. She turned back to her two teammates. "Fall back."

They leapt towards the distance in streaks of motion, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

* * *

Justin and Ashley awoke about five miles away. A scouting party of Zedd's wolfmen surrounded them.

The wolfmen were led by a warrior clad in dark-green baggy garments. He wore a white vest over his chest. The vest had a black slash running across it. The slash had the golden symbol of the lion embroidered on it.

A dark green bandana covered the top part of his head so that only the lower part of his tan face was visible. His eyes shined through the mask like pools of pale-green light. The bandana was tied in a knot behind his head with two slender pieces of fabric extending down to the small of his back. His wrists and ankles were wrapped with black material, and he wore a thick black belt across his waist.

It was Adam.

"Did we land in the Twilight Zone?" Justin asked as he and Ashley rose to their feet and stepped back into fighting stances.

"Might as well have," Ashley said. "Something is wrong."

"Ya think?" Justin said.

Adam extended his hand and fired a burst of pale-green light from his palm. Ashley and Justin dove for cover as the blast exploded between them. The wolfmen growled and pounced forward to attack.

Energy wrapped around Justin and Ashley as they morphed into their Ninjetti uniforms.

Justin flipped a wolf over his shoulder. A second wolf moved in and bit the ranger on the arm. The fangs of and claws of Zedd's wolfmen were capable of piercing through ranger armor and material. The wolf's fangs pierced through Justin's sleeve and through his flesh.

The ranger screamed as the wolf started thrashing its head back and forth, its teeth ripping into Justin's arm.

"Justin!" Ashley shouted as she leapt forward and slammed a flying axe kick against the wolf's collar bone. The soldier's bone snapped on impact, knocking the villain backward.

Ashley kneeled at Justin's side. His arm was torn and soaked with blood. Justin winced with pain, his entire arm practically mauled.

A cold smile crossed Adam's face. He thrust his hand forward and fired another burst of pale-green light from his palm. The pulse slammed against Ashley and Justin, knocking them backward and sending them skidding across the ground.

Adam extended his hand down towards his side and summoned a staff that was so dark green, it almost appeared black. He stalked towards Ashley and Justin. "The ship…where is it?"

Ashley narrowed her eyes.

"Defiance will bring you nothing but pain," Adam said. "Tell me where your ship is…"

An explosion suddenly sparked against Adam's chest and sent him flying backward. Ashley looked to the side and opened her eyes wide with shock at who she saw: Jason, Rocky, Zack, Hikaru and a teenage Kou - the same ranger who had died more than three years ago.

Jason wore a light suit of chain mail with a piece of red-trimmed black cloth over the chest. The symbol of the Tyrannosaurus was embroidered on the material in gold. He wore white, baggy pants and a red belt wrapped around his waist. He carried a gray double-edged sword with a standard cross hilt and red cloth wrapped around the handle.

Zack wore a dark gray shirt and slacks. A thick black belt wrapped around his waist. Black material with intricate white embroidering wrapped around his upper chest and shoulders. The golden symbol of the mammoth was woven over his chest. He carried a gray, double-edged axe.

Rocky wore dark-blue, baggy garments with a white vest over his chest. The vest had a black slash running diagonally across it. The slash had the symbol of a Pegasus embroidered in gold. A single blue bandana wrapped around his face, covering his eyes. The bandana was tied in a knot behind his head with two slim pieces of fabric extending down to the small of his back. His wrists and ankles were wrapped with white material, and he wore a thick black belt across his waist. He carried a single, silver katana blade.

Hikaru wore a dark yellow vest embroidered with intricate black symbols. He wore a dark yellow, sleeveless shirt beneath the vest. His slacks were black, matching the color of the wraps around his forearms. He wore a black, yellow-trimmed headband around his forehead. His weapon was a Seijuukin marked with the symbol of a wolf.

Kou wore a baggy white body suit and slacks. Two slashes crossed over his chest in an 'x' pattern. Each slash had the golden symbol of a tiger embroidered on it. A thick golden-trimmed black belt wrapped around his waist, matching the material wrapped around his forearms and ankles. Golden braces wrapped around his upper arms. A short dagger was attached to each brace.

Adam slowly rose to his feet as the wolfmen regrouped around him. An evil grin spread across his face as he looked to Rocky. "You want a rematch…very well," he said in an icy voice. "This time I will take more than just your eyes…"

Rocky snarled and pounced forward to attack.

Adam extended his palm and fired a volley of pale-green light bursts.

"Ki!" Rocky shouted as he used his Kiryoku to deflect each blast aside.

Rocky pounced forward with a flying tornado kick that Adam ducked under. Adam rose back to full height and snapped a round kick towards Rocky's head. Rocky blocked the blow and slammed the heel of his palm against Adam's chest, sending the villain stumbling backward.

Adam smiled mockingly. "You're getting slower, blind man."

"And you're getting annoying," Rocky said as he dashed forward. "Gravity pulse!"

Rocky fired a jagged burst of blue energy from his palms that Adam leapt over. Adam arced his descent towards Rocky and slammed a knee against the ranger's chest, smashing him to the ground.

Kou suddenly leapt in from the side and hurled a pair of dagger forward. The daggers zipped through the air and barely missed their mark as Adam leapt aside.

Kou pressed forward with a jumpkick and spinning heel kick, each forcing Adam backward.

"Sound Bite!" Kou shouted as he fired a jagged burst of white energy that smashed against Adam, sending him flying off his feet.

Meanwhile, Jason, Hikaru, and Zack fought against the wolfmen.

Jason chopped his blade through a wolf's collarbone, tearing through its flesh and snapping its bone. The ranger pulled his blade free and slammed a kick against the wolf, crushing the creature's rib cage on impact.

Hikaru built up electric strands of yellow lightning energy between his palms.

"Ha!" he shouted while thrusting his hand forward. He fired electric strands of energy that exploded through wolves, burning their bodies and ripping through their flesh. The creatures collapsed, smoke still rising from their dead bodies as the smell of burnt dog drifted through the air.

Zack chopped his axe down hard and split a wolf's head in two. He looked to his right and stepped towards another wolf with a backhand swing that bashed open the wolf's skull.

Nearby, Kou and Rocky surrounded Adam. The villain snarled. "We will continue this later…"

Adam teleported away with a burst of pale-green light.

Jason and his rag-tag ranger team gathered around Ashley and Justin, who had passed out from the pain.

A stern look on his face, Jason looked to his teammates. "Bag 'em."

Before Ashley could protest, the rangers were fitting a dark hood over her head.

* * *

Chris and Kat were in a barred cell of iron. Through the cell bars, they could see various other cells lining the walls of the high-tech dungeon. Several holographic projector screens were active in the center of the main floor below.

A man in a black trench coat watched the holographic screens. He had a red lens over each eye, each lens appearing as if it were burned onto his face. His hair was died jet black, and his left arm was cybernetic.

It was Billy.

"I see you're awake," Billy said, not taking his eyes off the holographic screens.

Chris narrowed his eyes. "Billy…is that you…?"

"My name is Dr. Cranston," Billy said.

"Billy, this is crazy," Chris said. "Where are we."

"A world where the strong survive and the weak serve as fodder," he said. "Welcome to Demon World: Earth."

"What?" Chris asked.

"Allow me to explain," Billy said as he activated a few controls. Holographic images of various timelines appeared. "Infinite planes of existence and parallel realities are stacked on top of one another, but all stem from the Prime Timeline. Your timeline.

"You somehow crossed from your reality, into ours," Billy said. "Our realities are laid out directly on top of one another.

"The ship you came in is of…growing interest," Billy continued. "DaiSatan has been wanting to cross dimensional planes for quite some time. Now thanks to your ship, we may find a way to do just that.

What sounded like a bull snorting slammed against a cage nearby. A humanoid bison creature was being held inside. Other cages held similar man/animal hybrids. A white tiger woman, a feathered eagle, an ape, and a wildcat were all being held nearby.

"Don't let my creations disturb you," Cranston said. "They still become agitated when I discuss our conquest."

"What are they?" Kat whispered.

"They used to be Rangers," Billy said. "I used connections to their various zords, along with gene-specific DNA, to craft them into the creatures you see now. In a sense, I made them into a mockery of their totem animals."

Billy slowly stalked towards Chris and Kat's cage. "Now…let's talk about your ship…"

* * *

Tommy sat in the Balban ship's rear chamber with Bukarates. The troll-like pirate looked out a small view port while speaking to Tommy about the history of the world.

"Bandora summoned DaiSatan at the turn of the century," Bukarates explained. "The evil spirit covered the world with darkness. The Power Rangers fought back, but were overwhelmed by DaiSatan's power."

Tommy narrowed his brow. "How many Rangers were there?"

"Five," Bukarates explained. "They were no match for DaiSatan, Bandora, and her Dark Warlords."

Tommy's face grew pale. "There were five Dark Warlords too, weren't there…"

The troll nodded. "There still are. The Dragon Ranger has led them for years. They were single-handedly responsible for the destruction of North America."

"It's like a nightmare come true…" Tommy whispered.

"It gets worse," Bukarates said. "DaiSatan summoned allies. He gathered the Saima Clan under his direct control, and freed Lord Zedd from dimensional limbo. Zedd used his power to summon an army of Youkai under his command.

"They ravaged everything," Bukarates continued. "Europe is the only free nation, but only because DaiSatan enjoys taunting the survivors."

"What about the Rangers?" Tommy asked.

"There are a few scattered rag-tag groups remaining," Bukarates said. "Hayate has joined us. Ryouma, Hyuuga, and Hikaru are the only remaining Galaxy Rangers."

"What about the others?" Tommy asked.

Bukarates shook his head. "I'm not certain. But there are not enough to stop DaiSatan. He hungers for more. And your ship may provide the key to giving DaiSatan unlimited access to infinite realities and dimensions."

"How?" Tommy asked. "I'm not even sure how we got here."

Bukarates tilted his head. "We?"

"There were four others with me," Tommy said. "I'm not sure what happened to them after our ship was shot down. I'm not even sure what happened to the ship."

"Hmm…" Bukarates said thoughtfully. He waddled towards the room's exit. "Follow me."

Sherinda and Hayate escorted Tommy and Bukarates to the ship's lowest deck. The Egyptian-like Balban named Iresia sat in the center of the deck with a crystal ball in her hand.

A skeleton in knight's armor and a creature that resembled a demonic ice angel stood guard behind her.

Hayate pushed Tommy in the back. "Step forward."

Tommy shot Hayate a glare before moving towards Iresia. The Balban woman held up her crystal ball. "The darkness makes my vision blur, but I found two of your shipmates. They share your aura, an aura from a reality outside our own."

"Where are they?" Tommy asked.

"In the Dimadowns," Iresia explained. "The slave pits of The Shaper."

"The Shaper?" Tommy asked. Billy had been called The Shaper from time to time.

Iresia nodded. "One of the original five Rangers who joined forces with DaiSatan."

Tommy rolled his hands into fists. "Why?"

"No one knows, and it is irrelevant," Iresia said. "Budo will escort you to the pits along with two of his warriors."

The Balban samurai stepped into the chamber along with two ninja that resembled sharks.

* * *

Jason's team had set up a camp inside the base of a toppled building. The rangers brought Ashley and Justin into the camp.

Rocky laid Justin on the floor inside a small tent. Rocky hovered his hands over Justin's wounds. The blind ranger used his Kiryoku feel Justin's mauled arm. "I can heal it," Rocky said. "But it's going to take time."

Rocky's hands started to glow with cyan-tinted energy that washed over Justin's wounds. The sensation eased the pain considerably.

Justin looked up at Rocky and to the bandana covering his eyes. "Your eyes…how can you…"

"My Ki," Rocky explained. "I use my Power to heighten my senses. It's better than site, considering the shape this world is in. There's not much to enjoy looking at anymore."

"Couldn't you use your Power to heal your sight?" Justin asked.

Rocky shook his head. "My Power can heal. It can't re-grow organs."

"What happened?" Justin asked.

"It was Adam," Rocky said.

Rocky continued to pour energy over Justin's wound while telling his story.

_The year was 2002. In less than a year, DaiSatan and his right hand Bandora had conquered nearly the entire country. _

_New York was one of the last remaining city's, and Zedd's first target. _

_DaiSatan had recently released Lord Zedd and his minions. The warlord had an army of Golems and Wolfmen under his control. A warrior general named Draklith, a silent assassin named Vex and a witch named Levina rounded out Zedd's army._

_DaiSatan's power amplified Zedd's by a thousand fold. The warlord led a massive army of grunts and monsters that marched towards the city like a blanket of death._

_Jason, Zack, Trini, Billy, and Kimberly stood side-by-side as the army approached. Jason reached over and gave Kimberly's hand a gentle squeeze, just as the two lovers did before every battle. _

_The teens pulled out their morphers and snapped them open. "Dino, Buckler!"_

_Energy shimmered around their bodies as they morphed into their Ranger armor. They armed their Power Weapons and launched their long-range attacks. _

"_Power Blade!" Tyranno Ranger shouted as he swung his sword, emitting a wave of crimson energy that shot through the air. _

"_Mammoth Breaker!" Mammoth Ranger shouted as he swung his axe against the ground. The axe created a shockwave that tore through the ground towards the army._

"_Arrow Shockwave!" Ptera Ranger snapped an energized arrow that streaked through the air with a line of pink energy._

"_Power Torrent!" Tricera Ranger fired a torrent of blue energy with his lance. _

"_Power Blades!" Tiger Ranger swung her daggers, firing twin blades of yellow energy._

_The combined attacks exploded among the Golems and Wolfmen with massive shockwaves of flame and light._

_The Ranger charged forward and slammed hard against the thinned ranks of villains. The heroes attacked with a flurry of punches and kicks, ripping through wolves and cracking through Golems. _

_Seconds turned into minutes, and minutes into hours. It seemed there was no end to the fighting._

_Draklith charged forward and slashed his blade across Ptera Ranger's armor with a burst of spark, whipping her body backward. _

_Other monsters from Zedd's army closed in next and surrounded the battle-weary Rangers. _

_A monster with a dragon-like head, whose body was covered in black armor, grabbed Tricera Ranger with both arms and squeezed hard. The Blue Ranger screamed as the villain slowly tightened his grip._

_With a final squeeze, the dragon monster snapped Tricera Ranger's back and tossed him aside like a broken toy._

_Nearby, a wolf-like creature covered in dark gray armor armed two massive blades. He swung the blades forward, emitting a massive burst of silver light that exploded against the other four Rangers with massive bursts of spark, knocking them backward._

_A few of the last Fire Golems closed in and extended their palms, firing streams of flame at the fallen Rangers. _

_Blasts exploded around the Rangers and sent them flying off their feet, crashing through nearby windows, smashing on top of parked cars, and splintered through telephone poles. _

_The Rangers' armor shattered when they hit the ground._

_Blood dripping from his head, Jason slowly rose to his feet and thrust his morphed forward. "Dino Buckler!"_

_Nothing happened. _

_The rangers' morphers were ruined. _

_They could still feel the power from their coins, but their armor was gone. _

_Through the corner of his eye, Jason watched a lizard-like creature lift Kimberly by the neck._

"_No!" he shouted as he ran towards her. _

_But he could not reach her time. The villain snapped Kimberly's neck. Her limp body collapsed to the pavement, blood trickling from her mouth. _

"_NO!" Jason tried to run faster, but a group of Golems blocked his path. _

_The battle lasted another 10 minutes before the Rangers retreated._

* * *

_Billy and Trini were lost in the battle and presumed dead. Kimberly died. Only Jason and Zack seemed to have survived the encounter. _

_Zedd's forces had been somewhat drained by the battle as well, which presented a problem. _

_Lord Zedd and Bandora quickly found themselves competing for DaiSatan's favor. The warlord and the witch both schemed to become DaiSatan's No. 1 villain, kill him, and take control of the world. _

_Zedd knew he needed better fighters before he could rise above Bandora and her seemingly invincible Dark Warlords. _

_Zedd had Levina locate the most suitable candidates. She found three such candidates, each ripe with untapped potential: young Kou, who's body erupted with dark power on his 11th birthday; Adam, a teenager with pent up rage and the power of Light. His parents and brother had died in a U.S. missile strike against Angel Grove after DaiSatan took power; and Rocky, who possessed the power of gravity and healing._

_Zedd knew well that the power to heal could quickly become the power to kill. And the brightest of lights casts the most immense shadows._

"_Have them brought to me," he said simply. _

Rocky winced as pain shot through his body. As part of the healing spell, he was forced to take on the pain of the injury and feel it as if the wound had healed naturally.

He let out a slow sigh. "It's done…"

Justin's arm was back in one piece, without a scar. But it was still too weak to move for the moment.

"Thanks…" Justin said. "So then what happened? After Zedd found you?"

"He had Levina place a spell on us that lured us into his palace," Rocky explained. "She cast quite a façade, and it was…captivating. They fed us real food for the first time in months, gave us beds to sleep on…

"They won Kou over immediately," Rocky explained. "The dark power of the Gorma already flowed through his veins. The tiger tattoo that was supposed to protect him from that power had literally worn off.

"Adam and I took a little more time…

_Rocky stood before Zedd in the warlord's fortress. _

"_No deal," Rocky said, trying to put on his bravest face._

"_Don't be a fool, boy," Zedd said. "What's the alternative? Spend the rest of your life cowering in your own filth? DaiSatan will be destroyed, by me, then the world will be mine for the taking. To reshape as I see fit. With your power, we can undo all the damage that fool DaiSatan has done…"_

_Rocky arced an eyebrow. "How?"_

"_I will show you…" Zedd said as he extended his staff. The staff pulsed with crimson light, which probed into Rocky._

_Rocky collapsed to his knees as a well of energy was opened inside of him. It was his Kiryoku. Blue light seeped from his pores and started to circle around his body. _

* * *

_Nightmarish images flashed across Adam's mind's eye. He watched his parents die repeatedly in the explosion which destroyed their home. _

_Adam collapsed to all fours as pain shot through his body._

_Zedd stood tall behind Adam. "They never had a chance, boy. And neither will you if you continue to sulk on the floor like an infant."_

_Zedd extended his staff, which pulsed with crimson power. The pulse probed into Adam and released a well of energy inside of him. Green energy erupted from his pores and started to circle around his body._

"_Feel the light burn inside of you, boy," Zedd said. "Take that light, fuel it with your lust for revenge. And be a whimpering coward no more."_

Rocky lowered his head in shame. "The Power was corrupting at first. Zedd sent us on several missions against a rogue group of pirates called the Balban. They were easier to fight, because they didn't look human.

"But then…" Rocky continued. "Zedd had us lead a pack of Wolfmen and hunt down a refugee camp in Canada. The people were so…innocent and scared. I couldn't attack them.

"Adam taunted me and tried to provoke me into attacking the humans," Rocky said. "He provoked me, alright…into attacking him. We fought, and I lost my eyes as a result. His light power…burned them out.

"Meanwhile Kou spotted a woman hugging a younger child. Her son," Rocky continued. "This…woke something inside of Kou and cracked through his Gorma shell for a brief moment. We both left Zedd that day and wandered the continent, until we met Jason and Zack."

Justin narrowed his eyes. "So Kou is still Gorma, but just on your side?"

Rocky nodded.

Justin shook his head. "Damn…"

* * *

Jason pushed Ashley down into a chair. "Tell me who you are. Now."

Ashley narrowed her eyes. "I've told you ten times already."

"Do you honestly expect me to buy that?" Jason asked.

Hikaru stood nearby. He was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. He sighed impatiently and rolled his eyes. "Just kill her and be done with it. We've already stayed here too long."

Jason pulled out his sword.

* * *

Bandora's palace extended from the heart of what used to be Angel Grove city. The palace was like a dark spear ripping up from beneath the Earth and stabbing into the sky.

The green-armored Dragon Ranger and his fellow Dark Warlords kneeled at the steps of the palace balcony. Bandora stood on the balcony with her dark staff in hand. Tightening her grip, she turned to the Dark Warlords and started bashing her staff across their helmets.

"You fools!" she hissed at them.

The end of her staff speared against the back of Dragon Ranger's neck, collapsing him to the ground. "I am sorry, my empress. We found no trace of the crashed starship anywhere."

She struck him again with her spear. "Then you aren't looking hard enough!"

Dragon Ranger rolled his hands into fists. "Perhaps if we change our tactics, my empress. Instead of finding the ship…let's find the people who piloted it. They will tell us what they know or die by my blade."

* * *

"We must be careful in this place," Budo said as he and his companions led Tommy through the rubble of Stone Canyon. "The wolf demon roams here."

"Wolf demon?" Tommy asked.

Budo nodded. "His name is Zena'ku. He follows no one."

Tommy tried not to focus on the absurdity of the situation. Instead, he focused on the task at hand: finding his friends. "How long until we reach the-"

A wolf's howl cut through the air. Budo snapped into a defense stance as Tommy summoned his Ryuuseikin with a flash of golden, fiery energy. The two shark creatures leapt into the shadows and spread out in search of the wolf demon.

Budo smiled with pride and looked to Tommy. "My shark brothers are master warriors and hunters."

_Not according to the Galaxy Rangers on my world, _Tommy thought to himself.

Curved blades of yellow energy shot towards Tommy and Budo. They dove aside as the blasts exploded between them with massive burst of spark and flame.

Tommy rolled into a crouched position and looked up just in time to see Zena'ku charged towards him. The wolf demon swung his crescent blade down towards the ranger's head.

Tommy parried the blow and spun forward, slamming reverse sidekick against the wolf warrior's chest. The blow struck hard against the villain's armor and sent him stumbling back a step.

"You must be Zena'ku," Tommy said as he twirled his blade into a defensive position. "Nice to meet you."

Zena'ku snarled and lunged towards Tommy while swinging the crescent shaped blade. Tommy parried each blow with ease while stepping backward. Zena'ku seemed to fight with blind rage and hatred. These emotions made his attacks erratic and easy to defend against.

Budo dashed past Zena'ku while slashing him across the back. The villain howled in pain as he turned and swung his blade towards the Balban. The crescent blade slashed across the pirate's chest, knocking Budo backward.

Zena'ku snapped around and swung his blade back towards Tommy, but the ranger blocked the blow and slammed a hook kick across the wolf's head.

"You about done?" Tommy asked.

Ropes suddenly sprang out as if from nowhere and wrapped around the wolf's arms and legs while driving him to the ground. Holding the ropes, the two shark warriors leapt out from the shadows.

Budo stepped next to Tommy and aimed his sword towards the captured wolf. "I told you they were good."

Zena'ku howled and grabbed the ropes, whipping the two shark monsters of their feet. The wolf sliced off one of the shark's heads and mauled through the second shark with the horn on his head.

* * *

Ashley snapped to her feet and kicked the sword from Jason's hands. She spun forward, snapping a spin kick that cracked Jason across the jaw.

Kou narrowed his eyes as he watched. The Gorma thrust his hand forward. "Sound bite!"

A jagged wave of white sonic energy burst forth and slammed against Ashley, knocking her off her feet and sending her flying backward.

"Stop!" Rocky shouted as he stepped out from the tent alongside Justin. "They are not our enemies."

Jason picked up his sword while narrowing his eyes at Rocky. "How can you know that?"

"Their aura," Rocky said. "They're not even from this reality…"

"That doesn't make them any more trustworthy," Jason said. "DaiSatan could have recruited them from another dimension."

"He doesn't have that kind of power," Rocky said. "Yet…But of he finds the ship these two came in, he likely will."

Jason lowered his sword. "Keep talking…"

* * *

Rocky managed to convince Jason and the others the truth about Justin and Ashley - at least to a degree.

Jason sent a message to the east coast, where Ryouma, Ryuuta, and Hyuuga guarded the Hidden Railroad, a passage for innocents to leave North America and head towards Europe.

Ryouma dressed in an a pair of baggy, black sacks and a shirt. Intricate patterns of red and gold were woven along the sleeves and legs. A rest chest piece hung over his chest like a 'v.' The cloth chest piece was etched with red and gold, and had a green gem in its center.

At his side, Ryouma carried the double-edged sword of KiroKishi.

Hyuuga wore a red shirt etched with black and a black pair of slacks. A white scarf wrapped around his neck. The image of the lion was embroidered in gold on both arms. He carried the lion-branded Seijuukin at his side.

Ryuuta was barely a teenager. The young teen wore a baggy, dark blue shirt and black pants. A black slash ran across his chest. The image of the guerilla was embroidered on the slash.

At his side was the Seijuukin inherited from Gouki, who died fighting against Bandora's Dark Warlords. The Dragon Ranger had stabbed his dagger through the Blue Ranger's faceplate.

Each of them had the power of Aasu, which put them in touch with the planet itself. If anyone could find the ship and other rangers, Hyuuga and his small team could.

The three rangers were at an old, run-down dock with several cargo boats ready to take refugees to Europe.

Lines of civilians dressed in tattered clothes and rags lined up at the docks.

So few humans on the continent remained. Those that were not used for slaves were either exterminated in massive concentration camps or turned into fodder for Billy's demonic labs.

"Ryouma," Hyuuga called as he walked over to his younger brother. "I have a message from the Tyranno Ranger."

Ryouma scoffed. "Tell him we're not interested in fighting his war. We only want to get people off of this god-forsaken continent and to safety."

Hyuuga shook his head. "That's not what he wants," Hyuuga said. "He has information about a starship that crashed here recently. If DaiSatan-"

Citizens suddenly screamed from panic and ran from the docks. Ryouma and Hyuuga unsheathed their swords and ran closer to the docks, as Ryuuta closed in from the opposite sides.

They arrived to see three men with glowing red eyes attack the civilians. The men hurled spheres of fire that fire that exploded among innocents, tearing their bodies to shreds with massive shockwaves that tossed them backward.

"Damn!" Ryouma shouted. "We've been infiltrated."

The flesh of the three men tore away as three Saimajuu stepped forth from their carcasses.

The lead Saima was tall, red skinned and muscular. The creature's head resembled a cross between a bull and a dog. Four leathery wings extended from his back. His fingers were tipped with black slaws, and his eyes were bright yellow. His name was Errtu.

The other two demons were lesser creatures. One resembled a blue-skinned goblin-like bat, and the other appeared as a creature made of rotted tree bark.

"Saima!" Ryouma shouted as he charged forward with his blade held high.

Errtu licked his teeth. "Humans…"

"Ha!" Ryouma leapt through the air and swung his blade down towards the demon's head.

Errtu smacked the back of his hand across Ryouma's body, swatting the ranger from the air.

* * *

Budo and Zena'ku locked blades. The wolf slapped the pirate's blade aside and slashed across Budo's chest, crescent blade sparking on impact.

Tommy moved in next, his blade pulsing with fiery power. He had to save his friends. He didn't have time for petty, meaningless conflict.

The ranger swung his sword in a butterfly pattern, shattering the onyx blade of Zana'ku. Tommy spun forward and thrust his blade through Zena'ku, puncturing through armor, flesh and bone.

Tommy removed his saber, and Zena'ku's lifeless form collapsed to the ground.

Budo looked down at the dead wolf and gave a nod of approval. "Effective."

A single clapping noise suddenly echoed across the streets. The winds picked up, and Tommy suddenly felt cold, as if someone were walking over his grave.

Tommy slowly turned around, his heart pounding in his chest. He looked up to see the green-armored Dragon Ranger standing on a pile of rubble.

The Green Ranger stood with his Sword of Darkness slung casually over his shoulder. He held the long blade in his right hand and his Dragon Dagger in his left hand. "Well, well, well…if it isn't my 'brother.' How are ya, Tom?"

Tommy narrowed his eyes and rolled his hands into fists as a chill crept down his spine. He knew this moment would come, ever since the Balban mentioned Bandora's Dark warlords. He knew he would have to face himself.

Green Ranger tilted his head. "Not too talkative, I see…"

Tommy activated his Aura Morphers and silently transformed into his red Dragon Ranger armor with a flash of crimson light.

The four Dark Warlords suddenly dropped from the sky and surrounded the Red Ranger. Secmet armed his sword, Dayus activated his pronged blades, Kayl unsheathed his saber and Gurail swung his chain scythe.

Green Ranger smiled beneath his helmet. "I thought you might want a little warm up…"

Dayus struck first, firing four pronged blades that swung towards the Red Ranger's helmets. Red Ranger grabbed the prongs and used his grip to swing Dayus off his feet, crashing the villain against Gurail. The two villains went tumbling across the ground.

Secmet dashed forward, stabbing his blades ahead at near blinding speeds.

"Ryuuseikin!" Red Ranger shouted as he summoned his sword with a flash of golden light. He stepped back into a fighting stance as Secmet came closer.

The Red Ranger tilted his head and fired an invisible Kiryoku bust that smashed against Secmet's chest, denting his armor and slamming him off his feet. The villain crashed through the ruins of a nearby building.

Kayl energized his sword with onyx power. "Black Lightning Flash!"

The villain swung his blade forward and fired tendrils of black lighting that streaked towards the Red Ranger. Dragon Ranger shot over the lightning bursts on the blink of an eye, somersaulted through the air, and slammed a flying kick against Kayl's head.

The villain crashed hard against the ground, the impact knocking off his helmet.

The Green Ranger sighed and shook his head, placing his hand over his visor. "This is just embarrassing…"

Red Ranger dashed towards Dayus with his sword held back. The villain shot his prongs forward, but the Red Ranger sliced through each with relative ease. The Red Ranger spun past Dayus and swung his blade through and arc of golden light that tore through the villain's armor and body.

The warlord's lifeless form collapsed onto the ground.

Secmet suddenly burst from the rubble and energized his sword with crimson power. "Snake Bite Strike!"

Secmet fired a jagged burst of crimson energy that splashed harmlessly across an invisible shield of Ki energy that the Red Ranger used to protect himself.

Meanwhile Budo stayed back, not sure what to make out of the situation. He looked up to the Green Ranger and narrowed his eyes. Budo knew the villain well. Green Ranger had slaughtered nearly half of Budo's army in the most dishonorable of ways.

The pirate leapt towards Green Ranger with his sword held high.

"Dragon Ranger!" Budo shouted. "Your opponent is I!"

Green Ranger scoffed as he watched Budo descend towards him. "You again? I need a bigger challenge, Budo. And you just don't cut it…"

Green Ranger crossed his blades and extended them forward. The sword and dagger fired a massive stream of energy that slammed against Budo, burning across his skin and splashing across his body like acid. The blast slammed Budo through a ruined building.

Red Ranger turned towards Green Ranger and narrowed his eyes beneath his helmet.

The Red Ranger sprang through the air and swung his blade down towards the Green Ranger's head. The Green Ranger used his Sword of Darkness to parry the blow and stabbed his Dragon Dagger towards the Red Ranger's gut.

The Red Ranger grabbed the Green Ranger's wrist and twisted the villain's arm back. Tightening his grip, the Red Ranger slammed a round kick against the Green Ranger's faceplate.

The Green Ranger stumbled backward as Red Ranger pressed forward, swinging his blade in a butterfly pattern that sparked across the Green Ranger's chest with a burst of spark.

The Green Ranger sparked charged of jade-tinted energy along his blades. "Dragon Claw!"

The Green Ranger fired a blade of jade energy at near point-blank range. The blast exploded against the Red Ranger's chest with a massive burst of spark that knocked him backward.

The Red Ranger went flying through the air and crashed through the wall of a building. He hit the floor of the building's upper level and skid across it before rolling to a stop.

"I really should have seen that coming," the Red Ranger said as he rose back to his feet.

The Green Ranger landed on the floor and aimed his sword towards the Red Ranger. "Tell me where your ship is, and I'll make this quick."

"I've got a better idea," the Red Ranger said.

Red Ranger thrust his arms forward and fired a comet of red energy that exploded against the Green Ranger and sent him flying backward. The Green Ranger flailed through the skies and crashed through a neighboring building.

The Green Ranger crashed through several floors before falling into the building's basement.

* * *

Trini, Jonathan, and Richie kneeled before Lord Zedd in his palace, which resembled an inflated crater. A group of ninja-clad Dorodoro kneeled behind the three rangers.

"You fools!" Zedd shouted as he hurled a blast of crimson energy at the rangers. The blast slammed against them and knocked them backward. "You had this stranger in your grasp, and you let him get away!"

Zedd leaned down and placed his metallic finger beneath Trini's head, tilting up her chin. "Get back to the streets and find this ship, or I will tear out your heart and feed it to my wolf men. They could use a good meal!"

"Yes, Lord Zedd," Trini agreed. She was only a shell of her former self, thanks to Lord Zedd.

She joined his service shortly after her final battle as a Power Ranger.

* * *

_Billy and Trini were lost in the battle and presumed dead. Kimberly died. Only Jason and Zack seemed to have survived the encounter. _

_Zedd's forces had been somewhat drained by the battle as well, which presented a problem. _

_Lord Zedd and Bandora quickly found themselves competing for DaiSatan's favor. The warlord and the witch both schemed to become DaiSatan's No. 1 villain, kill him, and take control of the world. _

_Zedd knew he needed better fighters before he could rise above Bandora and her seemingly invincible Dark Warlords. _

_Trini was taken prisoner and thrown at the foot of Zedd's throne. Her body was bruised and battered, but Zedd sensed a power deep inside of her that he desperately wanted to tap._

"_Hello, little Tiger Ranger," Zedd said mockingly. "I'm so glad you could join me."_

_Trini glared at the villain. _

"_My, such fire in your eyes," Zedd said. "Where does that come from?"_

_Zedd extended his staff. The staff started to pulse with crimson energy that wrapped around Trini as if it were choking her. The energy pierced into her mind and gave Zedd access to her thoughts - thoughts not even Trini knew she had. _

_Zedd sensed a strong connection between Trini and a powerful artifact in Japan. Zedd turned his gaze towards his balcony and emitted a beam of crimson energy from his visor. He used the visor to zero in on five sabers stuck to the ground, each protecting a tomb full of evil spirits known as Youkai. _

"_Excellent…" Zedd said to himself. "These Youkai are just what I need."_

* * *

_Zedd opened the Youkai tomb with ease and unleashed the evil spirits upon Japan. Zedd amplified their power and allowed them to attack with greater speed and precision while multiplying._

_It was only a matter of months before the Youkai killed and inhabited the bodies of more than half the country's population. Those with wills too strong to be corrupted by Youkai were herded into pits and burned to death by acid._

_Trini's will was too strong for her to die by Youkai possession. However, Zedd developed something even better._

_The villain tied Trini up on a stone table and lifted his staff above her. The staff pulsed with crimson energy as Trini's hairs started to stand on end._

_Zedd laughed mockingly at the ranger. "I am afraid it is all over for you, girl…but at the same time…it is just beginning."_

_Trini was too drugged to understand what the warlord was saying. _

_Trini suddenly started to scream as her body pulsed with white-hot power. Zedd could actually see her skeleton ignite beneath her skin and muscle. _

_A Youkai spirit shot into the room and channeled through Zedd's staff before piercing into Trini's body._

_The Youkai spirit meshed with her soul, and the two became one. _

* * *

Errtu was all that remained of the Saima infiltrators. Hyuuga, Ryuuta, and Ryouma surrounded the bestial demon.

Hyuuga and Ryouma leapt forward and somersaulted through the air while swinging their swords down towards the demon monster. The villain lifted his arm, and his leathery flesh blocked the blows with bursts of spark.

Ryuuta moved in low and slashed his blade across the demon's gut, sword sparking on impact.

Errtu howled in pain and took a step backward.

Ryouma took advantage of the creature's distraction and dashed forward while swinging his blade upward, blade sparking across the demon's chest.

Hyuuga thrust his hand forward and fired a torrent of crimson flame that exploded against Errtu, knocking the demon off its feet.

Errtu crashed against the ground and skid backward.

The monster slowly rose to his feet as the three rangers regrouped.

"Mane of Flame!" Hyuuga energized his blade with fiery energy and chopped the sword downward.

"Stream Slash!" Ryuuta energized his sword with watery energy and swung the blade through a horizontal arc.

"Mane of Flame!" Ryouma channeled his fiery energy through his saber and chopped downward.

The attacks slashed across Errtu with a massive explosion that hurled the demon off his feet. The demon crashed against the ground and rolled to his feet while shimmering out of sight to retreat.

"How do they keep finding us?" Ryouma asked.

"I don't know," Hyuuga said. "There's no time to think about it. Let's round up the civilians and get them out of here before more show up."

A whistle suddenly sounded from nearby. Then it sounded again. The rangers turned to see the young Gorma Akomaru standing alongside a group of Kyonshi. The teenage Gorma dressed in black leather and had a headband covering the third eye on his forehead.

"Getting the civilians out is the least of your problems." He blew his whistle again, for no particular reason. "They'll just be killed anyway."

Hyuuga narrowed his eyes. "We have to save them. We have to protect humanity."

"You Gorma should be helping," Ryouma said. "Instead of hiding in the shadows."

"We've gathered our strength," Akomaru said. "Waited for the right time to move. That time is now. There is a starship that holds the key to escaping this reality. You are going to help me find it."

"Why should we trust you?" Ryuuta asked. "You're evil."

"There is nothing for the Gorma here," Akomaru said. "Our empire has crumbled. But there is another planet, another reality, where we can be reborn. This ship will take us there. And it will take your precious civilians to safety."

Hyuuga narrowed his eyes. He didn't trust the Gorma. No one did. But Tyranno Ranger's message had also spoke of a starship. "Do you know where this ship is?"

"There's not much I don't know," Akomaru said. "Hiding in the shadows has its advantages."

Ryouma looked to his older brother. "I don't like this…"

"I don't either," Hyuuga said. "But I'm tired of fighting, Ryouma. We have already lost so much…"

* * *

_Nearly three years ago, Hyuuga, Saya, Hayate, Gouki, and Hikaru received their Seijuukin and became the 133rd generation protectors of the Ginga Forest. _

_They had not even had their powers for a day when Bandora's forces attacked. She had learned of the Ginga Forest when the rangers left its boundaries to receive their Ginga Braces, which allowed them to morph. _

_The Green Dragon Ranger led his Dark Warlords and an army of Rock Soldiers into the Ginga Forest. They attacked everything that moved with a violent wave of destruction and death. _

_Hyuuga and his team dashed towards the Dark Warlords to defend their village, which burned around them. Hyuuga unsheathed his saber and aimed the blade at Dragon Ranger. "Villains! Who are you?"_

_Dragon Ranger laughed. "You fools. You should have stayed hidden in this pathetic forest of yours. Now your fate is the same as the world's. You will feel the wrath of DaiSatan!"_

"_Let's go!" Hyuuga shouted. "Ginga Tensei!" Hyuuga twisted the dial on his morpher, which clicked into position over a red line. "Ha!"_

_The teens slapped their braces' activation panels. The energy of their elements circled like pillars around them as they morphed into their armor. The Rangers snapped into fighting stances. _

"_Gingared! Hyuuga!"_

"_Gingagreen! Hayate!"_

"_Gingablue! Gouki!"_

"_Gingayellow! Hikaru!"_

"_Gingapink! Saiya!"_

_Gingared extended his hand. "The Sword of Legend cuts through the galaxy! Seijuu Sentai!" Together, they shouted. "Gingaman!"_

_Dragon Ranger snorted a laugh. "You've got to be kidding me…" He aimed his sword at the Rangers. "Kill them! And make it messy."_

_The battle was intense, but short lived. Dragon Ranger and his Warlords clearly had the upper hand. Their strength increased each day that DaiSatan's forces entrenched further across the Earth and tapped into the planet's power. _

_Gingapink was the first to die. Dragon Ranger stabbed his dagger through her chest armor with a burst of spark, and his blade ripped into her heart. _

_The Dragon Ranger pounced forward, parried a sword strike from Gingablue, and stabbed his dagger through the Ranger's faceplate. _

_Dragon Ranger laughed as he pulled his blade free. "Killing Rangers never gets old."_

_Secmet, the Warlord of Venom, swung his blade towards Gingagreen. But a sword lashed out and blocked the blow. It was Sherinda, leading an army of Balban into the forest. _

_The constant battling on Earth had triggered a quake that freed the Balban from their prison. _

_The Balban army held the Dark Warlords back while the Rangers retreated and regrouped. _

* * *

"_What did we leave for!" Hikaru shouted. "We should be fighting! They killed everyone!"_

_Hikaru, Hayate, Hyuuga, and Sherinda sat in the woods at night along with Ryouma and Ryuuta. Ryuuta and his father had stumbled upon the Ginga Forest shortly after DaiSatan's forces had taken over Angel Grove and Stone Canyon. The boy and his dad had fled into the forest for safety. _

"_We will fight," Sherinda said. "But we need planning first. We-"_

"_You're Balban!" Hikaru shouted. He looked to his teammates. "Why are we even listening to her!"_

"_We may have been enemies under different circumstances," Sherinda said. "But this world is ours too. Even if not by choice." _

_Hyuuga stared off silently. "The world outside…I never imagined this was happening." He looked to Sherinda. "We can't fight. This war was not ours, and it was lost."_

_Hayate narrowed his eyes. "What are you saying? That we do nothing?"_

"_No," Hyuuga said. "I am saying that we help as many people as we can flee to safety."_

"_Hmph." Sherinda shook her head. "You Ginga cowards." _

_The team members went their separate ways. Ryouma followed his brother towards the coast, and Ryuuta went with them while carrying Gouki's Seijuukin. Hayate decided the best way to fight was to join the Balban army. Hikaru went off on his own, not wanting to join the Balban or retreat. _

_The battle on Earth had stirred the spirit of Bull Black, who sensed Ryouma as the last remaining member of the Ginga Tribe who was not a ranger. Bull Black merged his life force with Ryouma, who became the new KuroKishi. _

* * *

Budo pointed his sword towards the distance. "The Shaper is there, nearby. We must hurry…the Dark Warlords are still at our heels."

"Agreed," the Red Dragon Ranger said. "How do we get into his lab?"

"The tunnels beneath the streets," Budo said. "Come, Ranger."

The Balban leapt through the air in a blur of motion, and Dragon Ranger followed.

* * *

Chris tried to find a weakness in his cell that would let him break free. Dr. Cranston had left the lab, and Chris wanted to take advantage of the rare opportunity. This was the first time Cranston had left the captive rangers out of his sight. The mad scientist did not even sleep.

"Kat, this is hopeless." Chris sighed with frustration. "I have _no_ idea what I'm doing."

"We have to keep trying," Kat said while she examined her own cell. We don't know when we'll get our next chance."

"Or even if we'll _get_ a next chance," Chris said.

The lab entrance suddenly exploded with a burst of flame that ripped the door from its hinges. The blast scattered debris and clouded the room with thick smoke.

Chris and Kat looked to see Budo step through the smoke.

Chris narrowed his eyes with confusion. "It's one of those Balban guys from a couple years ago…I think."

The Red Dragon ranger stepped through the smoke from behind Budo.

Chris's eyes lit up. "Tommy!"

"Is it really you?" Kat asked.

"It's me, Kat," Dragon Ranger said. He moved to the cages and used his Star Cutter to free them. "I came to get you guys out of here."

Chris looked to Budo. "But what are you doing with that thing?"

Budo narrowed his eyes. "You are welcome."

"It's complicated," Dragon Ranger said. "I'll fill you in later. For now, let's just-"

A distortion pulse suddenly streaked across the lab and splashed across Dragon Ranger's armor with a flash of light. The blast covered his body with ripples of energy that lifted him into the air. He clenched his jaw to keep from screaming and tried to break free from the energy grasp, but he could not. He felt as if his entire body was in a state of flux.

Dr. Cranston walked into the room with his arm extended towards the Red Ranger. "Painful, isn't it? I'm holding your body in a temporal, spatial shift." He looked to Chris and Kat. "I'm assuming this is your reality's version of the great and highly overrated Dragon Ranger." He turned back towards the Red Ranger. "Hmph. I think he looks better in green."

"Let him go!" Chris charged towards Cranston to attack.

The villain hurled a distortion pulse that slammed against the ranger's chest and hurled him across the room.

Dragon Ranger glared at Dr. Cranston. "What happened to you here, Billy? How'd you sink this low?"

"Hmph." Cranston shook his head. "You're hardly a saint yourself in this reality. The short version is, I was left for dead by Jason and the others. I was brought to Lord Zedd as a captive, and he, of course, recognized my brilliance. He allowed me to live if I agreed to serve him."

"How could you agree to something like that?" Dragon Ranger asked.

"He gave me a chance to continue my work," Cranston said. "Nothing is more important."

Dragon Ranger shook his head. "So you're a sellout." He narrowed his eyes beneath his helmet and gathered his power. "Kiryoku!"

Dragon Ranger fired an invisible telekinetic pulse that knocked Cranston off his feet and sent him skidding across the floor.

Dragon Ranger dropped into a crouched fighting stance and thrust his hand forward. "Fire Stream!" The Red Ranger made a wall of flame that separated them from Dr. Cranston. Dragon Ranger looked to his teammates. "Let's get out of here."

They dashed for the exit.

Dr. Cranston rubbed the back of his head and rose to his feet. "Fascinating…this Dragon Ranger has far more will power than our own." He turned to his cages and freed his five humanoid beasts. "Track them…Gao Ranger."

* * *

Hikaru walked towards Jason. "We heard back from Hyuuga and the others."

"That's a surprise," Jason said.

"More so than you think," Hikaru said. "They have a lead on the ship's location. The _Gorma_ are helping them track it."

"Gorma?" Jason shook his head. "Guess now isn't the time for being picky."

"So now what?" Zack asked.

"We'll track them to the ship," Jason said. "And we'll destroy it before DaiSatan figures out how to use it as a weapon."

* * *

Trini, Jonathan, Richie and a group of Dorodoro kneeled before Lord Zedd in his throne room.

Trini slightly raised her head towards her master. "Our spies have tracked a group of Gorma that have found the ship. The Gorma are leading the Rangers there."

"Fools," Zedd cursed. "You should have wiped out those Gorma ingrates years ago."

"They have been in hiding until now," Trini said. "We thought them dead."

"Clearly, you were mistaken," Zedd said. "Follow these Gorma. Find that ship. Do not dare to fail me again, or I will feed you to my wolves."

* * *

Iresia waved her hand over a crystal ball and whispered an incantation. Tommy, Chris, Kat, and the Balban leaders stood around here on the bridge of the Balban ship.

"DaiSatan's forces have found the ship, as have the remaining Rangers," she said. She looked towards Tommy. "Your friends are with them."

Tommy breathed a sigh of relief that Ashley and Justin were okay. "How big a force is DaiSatan sending?" Tommy asked.

"The Dark warlords are sending a group of 400 rock soldiers and four of her creatures: DoraMadillo, DoraLizator, DoraMinotaur, and DoraGourd. Lord Zedd's three ninjas are leading a pack of 100 wolfmen and a group of 200 Dorodoro. And the Saima Clan has sent 500 of its Imps led by the demons Tri-Fire and Infinitor."

Tommy shook his head. "Sounds like things are going to get cozy. Where is the ship?"

"It crashed in Freedom Plaza, in what was known as Angel Grove Central," Iresia said. "The ship was caught in a spatial distortion wave, which was why you and crew were scattered."

Hayate looked to Tommy. "We'll send our entire army to cut of DaiSatan's forces."

"Sounds like a plan." Tommy looked to his teammates. "Let's take care of business, guys."

* * *

Ashley and Justin leaned over the edge of a crater that spanned nearly a mile. The Megaship sat in the center of the crater. Ashley's eyes lit up at the sight of the vessel. "Thank god…"

Justin looked to Ashley. "Think it will fly?"

"I'll make it fly," she said. "Now come on. What are we waiting for?"

Ashley, Justin, and Jason's rangers moved down the side of the crater towards the Megaship. The Gorma and Hyuuga's ranger team moved down the opposite side of the crater.

Kiba Ranger unsheathed his dagger and stepped back into a fighting stance at the sight of his brother and the Gorma.

Akomaru lifted his hand to stop his army from attacking. "Now isn't the time, brother. We are both here for the same reason…to use this ship and escape this place."

Jason stepped forward. "Wrong. We're going to destroy this thing before DaiSatan gets his hands on it."

"What?!" Ashley snapped. "Just let us take the ship home."

Jason shook his head. "Too risky. DaiSatan might find it before you guys get airborne. And there's always the chance you won't make it out of the atmosphere, and you'd end up crashing again."

Hyuuga stepped out from behind the ranks of Gorma. "Jason, our world is a lost cause. This ship is our last chance at freedom from DaiSatan's tyranny."

Jason glared at Hyuuga. "I will not give up this fight."

The gathered "heroes" heard scuffling noises come from the edge of the crater. They looked up to see the Balban arrive and move towards the ship. Tommy, Chris, and Kat were among them.

"Tommy!" Ashley shouted. He rushed towards Ashley and pulled her into an embrace.

Tommy looked towards Jason and Hyuuga. "DaiSatan's armies are headed this way. They'll be here any second."

"Then it's settled," Jason unsheathed his sword. "We destroy the ship."

Hyuuga unsheathed his Seijuukin. "I'll stop you if I have to, Jason."

"Guys," Tommy said. "We don't have time to-"

Explosions suddenly sparked around the rangers and tossed them off their feet. They tumbled across the ground and rolled to a stop near the Megaship's hull. They slowly rose to their feet and looked up. DaiSatan's army had arrived.

The Green Dragon Ranger, the Dark Warlords, Goldar, Scorpina, Kyra, and Gurail looked down upon the crevice from a wide outcropping north of the Megaship. A group of Rock Soldiers stood behind them.

Green Dragon Ranger aimed his dagger towards the Red Ranger. "Hello again, _Tommy_."

On the south side of the crevice, Adam, Jonathan, Trini, Richie, and a group of Dorodoro stood on a toppled building and looked down upon the starship.

Cranston, Gao Lion, Gao Buffalo, Gao Eagle, Gao Shark, and Gao Tiger stood on the west end of the crevice.

Tommy narrowed his eyes and armed his morphers. "Aura Power!" Energy shimmered around him as he morphed into his Ranger form and looked to Ashley. "Get into the ship and do what you can. We'll hold these guys off."

Ashley nodded. "Be careful."

Chris, Ashley, Justin, and Kat dashed into the Megaship. The Red Dragon Ranger rallied his troops. "This is it, guys. Let's do it!"

"Tyranno Ranger, Red!"

"Tenma Ranger! Heaven Gravity Star, Blue!"

"Kiba Ranger! Heaven Roaring Star, White!"

"Mammoth Ranger, Black!"

"Ginga Yellow, Hikaru!"

"Ginga Red, Hyuuga!"

"KuroKishi! Bull Black!"

"Ginga Blue! Ryuuta!"

"Ginga Green! Hayate!"

"Dragon Ranger! Heaven Fire Star, Red!"

Together, they shouted: "Power Rangers!"

The armies leapt towards each other and attacked.

* * *

The ground beneath the Megaship shook and rocked the deck plating on the bridge.

"Sounds like the fighting's started," Chris said.

"Ya think?" Justin said.

Ashley tried to ignore them while she worked beneath the forward control panel. She crossed several wires and hooked them up to her data pad. "I think I see how we wound up here. Getting back is going to be a problem."

"Why?" Kat asked.

Ashley pulled up another series of calculations on her data pad. "When we punched through to this planet, we damaged the barrier between realities, but it's repairing itself quickly. If the reality breech is sealed, we're stuck here."

"How much time do we have?" Justin asked.

"Less than ten minutes," Ashley said. "Give or take."

* * *

Kou and Akomaru stood back to back as Wolfmen charged in from all around them. A twisted grin crossed Akomaru's face. "This is how it should have always been, brother. You and I, fighting alongside. As Gorma."

"No…" Kou said. "Nothing about this…nothing is how it should have been." He thrust his hand forward. "Sound Bite!"

The Kiba Ranger fired a jagged burst of white sonic energy that exploded through a group of Wolfmen and tore their bodies apart.

"Ha!" Akomaru tossed a volley of shadow bolts that exploded through Wolfmen with bursts of spark that ripped through their flesh.

A wave of Kyonshi somersaulted through the air from behind the brothers and slammed against the remaining wolves. The wolves tore through the grunts with primal savagery.

Nearby, Rocky and Adam launched at each other with a fierce volley of punches and kicks.

Adam slammed the heel of his palm upside Rocky's head and spun forward with a kick against the Tenma Ranger's chest. Rocky crashed onto his back.

"You've had this coming." Adam armed a dark-green staff and stabbed the weapon through Rocky's head.

* * *

"There's no way we can get back into orbit that quickly," Justin said. "We're screwed."

"Not necessarily," Ashley said.

"Not necessarily my foot," Justin said. "We're screwed."

"No," Ashley said. "I think I can trigger a teleportation burst powerful enough to move the entire ship."

"How?" Chris asked. "The ship was on its last leg even before it crashed."

"But there's a lot of energy around us," Ashley said. "The atmosphere is saturated with it."

"Probably because of all the fighting that's been going on," Chris said.

Ashley nodded. "If I can use the deflector to gather enough energy particles, I can trigger a teleportation burst."

"I can make the modifications to the deflector," Chris said.

"Well," Ashley said. "What are we waiting for?"

* * *

Budo slashed his sword through Gao Lion and slammed a kick against Gao Tiger. Gao Bison tackled the Balban from behind. Budo crashed against the ground as the bison horns dug into his midsection.

A group of Yattato leapt to Budo's aide and slashed Gao Bison back with bursts of spark.

A wave of Rock Soldiers crashed against the Yattato. The grunts slashed at each with showers of spark as arm blades tore through the Balban and curved sabers ripped into Bandora's grunts.

Nearby, Trini, Jonathan, and a group of Dorodoro isolated Jason and leapt to attack.

Jonathan and Trini swung their blades towards Jason's head. Jason parried their blows and swatted them from the air.

Jonathan landed in a crouched position and formed a hand sign. "Ninpo Lightning Storm!"

Trini leapt back into the air and formed a hand sign. "Ninpo shard attack!"

Jonathan fired a bolt of lightning, and Trini fired a cloud of energy shards. The blasts exploded against Jason with bursts of spark that knocked him off his feet. His sword flew from his hand as he crashed to the ground.

Trini pounced towards Jason and aimed her sword towards his heart. But a gust of wind knocked her from the air. She crashed against the ground and looked up to see Hayate and Sherinda rushing towards her.

Richie leapt through the air from behind Trini and angled his descent towards Hayate. Richie chopped towards Hayate's head, but Hayate blocked the blow and knocked the evil ninja aside.

* * *

Chris crawled into an access port in the Megaship and opened a comm line to Ashley. "This may take a few minutes. Things are more banged up down here than I thought."

"We don't have a few minutes," Ashley said.

* * *

The Green Dragon Ranger and Red Dragon Ranger charged at each other to attack. They launched a flurry of kicks and punches at each other while dashing back and forth across the landscape.

"You know, Tommy," Green Ranger said as he snapped a hook kick and backfist. "The way I see it, our worlds were about the same up until one little detail that changed everything."

"And what's that?" Red Ranger snapped a double jumpkick and palm-heel blow.

"You turned good. I stayed evil. It's that simple. See the power we have? The power to shape the fate of the entire world. The entire galaxy. The universe."

"Star Fire!" Red Ranger hurled a comet of fire that exploded against the Green Ranger's chest with a burst of spark and knocked him backward.

"Tommy," Ashley's voice came through his communicator. "We're getting out of here soon or never. You need to at least be on the ship."

"Don't you mean in?"

"On will do," she said. "We're teleporting out…hopefully."

* * *

Chris made the last modification to the deflector. "Okay, the deflector is up and running. It's sucking in power now."

* * *

Hyuuga and Ryouma thrust their hands at Adam. "Mane of Flame!"

The brothers' palms hurled streams of fire that Adam leapt over while somersaulting through the air to attack.

A bolt of yellow lightning exploded through Adam's chest, and his body crashed onto the ground in a heap of burning flesh and smoke. Hikaru stepped over to Adam and stabbed his blade through the evil ranger's head.

Dorodoro snapped a volley of throwing stars that slit open Hikaru's neck with a splattering of blood.

Zack pounced at the Dorodoro and used his axe to chop them aside one-by-one.

Meanwhile Dr. Cranston casually strolled through the carnage and towards the Megaship.

* * *

"Okay," Ashley said. "Powering up the teleporter. We're only going to get one shot at this. Our window is closing fast."

"How do we know we'll end up back in our reality?" Kat asked.

"We will," Ashley said. "The tear only opens up that way."

* * *

The Red Dragon Ranger kicked Secmet upside the head and stabbed his sword through the villain's faceplate.

"Tommy get your butt over here," Ashley said through his communicator.

The Red Ranger hesitated. "We can't just leave them here like this…"

"Tommy, we have to go home," Ashley said. "This isn't our fight. The war is over here, and good lost."

"And it's my fault that-"

"No," she said firmly. "This Dragon Ranger of theirs is not you. You broke free from Bandora. You prevented all this from happening on our world. You-"

"Tommy, man, come on!" Justin shouted over the comm.

The Red Ranger leapt onto the Megaship's hull. He looked across the landscape to see Kou and Akoumaru cut down by Trini and Jonathan, who were in turn hacked to pieces by Ryuuta and Zack.

The Red Ranger rolled his hands into fists.

The last thing he saw was the Green Dragon Ranger leaping towards him. "You can't escape me! I'm a part of you and always will be!"

The Megaship flashed with a brilliant pulse of cyan energy and disappeared.

* * *

Ashley pulled herself up to the control console. The main viewscreen was nothing but static. She turned to Justin. "See what's out there."

Justin stumbled to the starboard control station and activated the sensor systems. "We're in orbit and…looking good so far. No red sky. No evil empires. No decimated post-apocalyptic landscapes stretching as far as the eye can see. I think we're home."

Ashley opened a comm line. "Tommy, are you there?"

"I'm here, Ash," he said.

Dragon Ranger stood on top of the Megaship and looked down to the Earth hovering below. His Earth. His home. He rolled his hands into fists. "I can't believe we just left them like that…"

"Tommy-" Ashley started to say over the comm line.

"No," he said. "We should have done something."

"The best we can do is make sure nothing like that nightmare ever happens here," she said.

"It won't, Ash…" He lowered his gaze. "It won't."

* * *

The Megaship's sensors were too damaged to notice a pair of energy surges that the vessel had sucked through the dimensional rift.

**THE END**

**Ultimate Power Rangers continues in Year Six: "Ultimate Power Rangers: Time Force"**


End file.
